The title of this entry is the theme I chose for my 50th birthday.
What a year it's been. 😊
There were awesome experiences at concerts, musicals and standup comedy shows.
Spectacular trips to Iceland, France and Bali.
Looking back at my last milestone, life was so different a decade ago.
I was in a work environment that's most accurately described as toxic.
I had family obligations which consumed most of my personal time and kept me socially isolated.
I'd never travelled solo, and couldn't participate in a lot of activities due to parental anxiety.
A major shift occurred in 2021, opening up an entirely new dimension of independence that I'd never known before.
After an initial period of apprehension, I eased into a new normal - solo, and completely comfortable with it.
I started with small steps: simple things like grocery runs, meals at hawker centres.
Then eating alone at restaurants, watching movies at the cineplex, outings to Mandai and Gardens by the Bay.
When I embarked on my first solo trip to Spain with a large group tour in May 2023, I fully expected to remain the outsider.
Instead, I was warmly embraced by my fellow travellers - mostly retired Americans - who took turns inviting me to sit with them during meals or accompany them when they went exploring.
We had long and wonderful conversations, and I made 2 new friends as well. We've kept in touch for more than 2 years, and I became very close to one of them this past month when I asked for her advice regarding a personal matter.
After that rewarding experience, all remaining trepidation about solo travel disappeared.
Next came a 2-week Scandinavian tour in August 2024, followed by a week-long trip around Iceland in June this year ( specially for my birthday ).
Both were incredible, and I picked up 2 more new friends - one from each tour. 😊
In France, I had a week entirely to myself.
Contrary to propagated stereotypes, I've had only lovely experiences with the French people despite not speaking a word of their language.
While Paris is meant for couples, I never felt out of place when I strolled around the city on my own.
One of my favourite moments was spending 2-3 hours at the serenely beautiful Cimetiere de Passy, where Claude Debussy is buried.
At crowded places like the banks of the River Seine, French children in school uniforms shouted "Bonjour!" and waved from passing boats, or giggled and beamed at me as we queued in the ladies' restroom.
When I went to Bali last month, I travelled 2000km over 5 days with a private guide, and loved every second.
The Balinese people I met everywhere were so warm and hospitable, I never felt lonely or homesick once.
Perhaps a solo existence appeals to me because I've always identified as an introvert.
However, I also made other new friends in 2025 ( in addition to those from my travels ), and reconnected with a few whom I've known for 20+ years but hadn't met in person for a decade or longer.
The latter turned out to be unexpectedly affecting. I don't know if getting older is a factor, but seeing them made me extremely happy. Even better was how our conversations flowed as if no time had passed - laughing about personal experiences from our past, discussing plans and hopes for the future.
2025 was also the year I discovered an affinity for supporting those who are going through rough patches.
While I've done this before, it wasn't a very proactive inclination, and tended to be more reactive in nature, i.e. usually if someone asked me for help.
Now, when I sense someone's anxiety, stress or sadness, I will immediately offer words or gestures of encouragement and support. Or do regular check-ins, send them funny memes or links, distract them with humourous conversation; or my favourite, mutually gripe about our jobs or society in general ( very rewarding haha ).
Another light-bulb moment just occurred earlier this month.
Some close friends are aware of my going through an existential crisis in mid-2023, after a conversation with my Spanish tour guide made me wonder what my life might have been like if I'd been allowed to follow my dream of being a journalist and moving to the U.S.
However, I've come to realize that I crossed paths with all the wonderful people in my life because of the trajectory I took 33 years ago when I began my academic track in medicine.
Every friend I have from junior college and university, through junior doctor postings, to specialist rank and senior management - I never would've met them if I'd had a different career.
And I've somehow managed to power through the existential crisis with my reputation intact, as friends and colleagues still pay me much appreciated compliments for my past and current work. ( Thank you. 🙏 )
Last but not least, I started reading my 23-year-old blog, beginning with the earliest entries and working my way forward.
There've been the expected ups and downs, but reliving all those memories ( many of which I'd completely forgotten ) helped me understand that I have indeed led an exciting and fulfilling life, even if it wasn't the exact path I would've preferred to take.
So here's what turning 50 is like for me: a mixture of bittersweet emotions and immense gratitude; a journey of self-discovery; possibly optimism for the future (?).
Bearing in mind that the existential crisis will be permanent ( daily encounters more than guarantee this ), I guess the trick is to let the positive keep the negative at bay.
While there are uplifting experiences which can be purchased or arranged, the ones I treasure most are those with no monetary value - the many great people who are part of my life, who affirm my place in the world and give everything I do meaning.
I shall end with a quote I love:
You don't stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing.
- Michael Pritchard
And this from a Facebook meme:
One of my favourite feelings is laughing with someone and realizing halfway through how much I enjoy them and their existence.
I think my theme for next year will be "Go with the flow." haha.
Like Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid - wax on, wax off.
Before signing off, I'd like to mention 2 amazing events coming up in Q1 2026 - CONFIRMED meet-and-greets with Josh Groban and OneRepublic for their upcoming concerts in February and March!!
The latter required quite a bit of effort - a Krisflyer miles redemption for show tickets in order to qualify for a second redemption for the M&G itself. So glad everything paid off in the end.
It'll be 8 years after I met them in April 2018. I can't wait! 😊
Also, I already have 6 shows lined up - 5 in the first 3 months of the year. 😁
That's it for now.
Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a great 2026 ahead!
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